Sign the Petition to

President Barack Obama and Speaker John Boehner

Dear President Obama and Speaker Boehner,

Thank you for your leadership. We are the voters for action, ready to join you in solving our most pressing challenges. We come from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations, but are united by the common mission to prevent child abuse and neglect. In the upcoming budget negotiations and beyond, we believe that keeping children safe should be something on which we can all agree.

We applaud your willingness to work together on the budget and implore you to hold children harmless in your resulting compromise. Children flourish in healthy, economically secure families that can meet their basic needs. However, families without the resources—such as health care and work supports—to find stability are at-risk for child abuse and neglect. In addition to the social safety net, targeted child welfare discretionary and entitlement programs must be preserved to maintain the critical work of child protection and healing.

Non-defense discretionary programs that encompass most of child welfare and the social safety net have already been reduced by a trillion and half in recent budget negotiations. It’s time to take these programs supporting children and families off the table. A balanced approach should recognize the importance of strengthening the most vulnerable, so they are able to contribute to the economic recovery. Deficit reduction should not compromise critical supports for children and families.

Signed,

Child Welfare League of America

This petition closed over 1 year ago

How this will help

Children from both red and blue states are our future. One day they will spend part of their first Tuesday in November waiting in line to exercise their democratic voice. They will eagerly...

Children from both red and blue states are our future. One day they will spend part of their first Tuesday in November waiting in line to exercise their democratic voice. They will eagerly anticipate the return of non-political commercial breaks and whether excited or disappointed, welcome the final results. Then, they will be where we are now, needing to hold elected officials accountable for their campaign promises.

If we've given them a strong and safe foundation, then they will come together to work out their differences. They won't all agree on everything, but they will trust the process of our forefathers and press on to protect their own future: their children.

Now is our time. Right now our nation must decide the best path to balance the budget and reduce the deficit. While the fiscal details are debated and the power players vie for influence, we must come together to ensure children do not bear the brunt of balancing the budget. What good is a sound fiscal future if our children are not prepared to take it over?

Millions of children are reported for suspicion of abuse and neglect each year. They are from families struggling with economic insecurity, health and mental health challenges, and histories of trauma. Families on the edge can use resources to stabilize, mitigating the risk of maltreatment. Child welfare funding provides resources for children and families to heal. Child abuse and neglect prevention and safety net funding goes to resources that keep families strong and helps them find stability. Adoption funding helps new families form and solidify. Many of these funding streams have already been cut or capped in recent deals to reduce the deficit. It's time for us to take them off the table.

Discussions between the President and Congress are occurring right now to determine how are nation will reduce the deficit. Tell our elected officials to hold children and their families harmless. By protecting programs serving them, together we will raise the bar for children and families.